Wednesday, February 24, 2010

A Houston homeowner shot two home invaders last Friday during a gun battle outside his house. A black male adult and teenager were casing the neighborhood and planning on a burglary somewhere they could find an opportunity. They were knocking on doors to see if anyone was home before burglarizing a selected home.

After knocking on several doors, they reached the last house and didn’t get an answer. After the home invaders knocked down the front door, the homeowner confronted them with a gun. Both the homeowner and the home invaders were armed.

One of the suspects shot and wounded the home’s occupant, but the homeowner shot the teen and wounded him several times and killed the older home invader. The older home invader fell dead to the ground in the yard. The teenager who was wounded ran to a nearby house and pounded on the front door. He told the woman living there that he had been shot, and begged her to call his “Momma.” She thought he was crazy. He went to her window and showed her his bleeding foot.

She called 911 instead.

Deputies arrived in minutes when seconds count and arrested the teen. The coroner took care of the adult home invader. Neighbors say that the area has had numerous burglaries in recent times.

And, Justice was delayed in Florida:

A Tavares, Florida homeowner has been finally cleared in the shooting death of a career burglar last November. Shane Biel shot Brett Lee Canada with the .357 magnum that he had to defend himself. Canada was unarmed. Biel had been burglarized once before. Canada had spent prison time for burglary several times before his final break in.

The homeowner said that he ordered Canada to the ground. But he came at him with something in his hand instead. Biel said that he feared for his life. Canada was shot in the foot and the back. The reviewing prosecutor said that Biel had no duty to retreat. The prosecutor also believed that there was no evidence to show that Canada wasn’t facing Biel when he was shot. The prosecutor also cited Florida law 776.012, .013, and .032 and the Florida case State v Hamilton in support of his decision not to prosecute.

Bolt cutters were found at the crime scene, and Canada had current charges pending for grand theft and burglary.

Biel could have been charged with a range of charges up to murder and could have been sentenced to life in prison.